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Memorial Day special: Let There Be Light

In 1945, legendary director John Huston was assigned by the US Army to make a documentary about men returning from war with “shell shock” or “psychoneurosis” — what we would now call post-traumatic stress disorder. But after the documentary, “Let There Be Light,” was completed, the Army refused to allow it to be shown and it disappeared from view. It was shown in a poor quality print in 1980, but not widely appreciated by critics.

“It pioneered unscripted interview techniques to take an unprecedented look into the psychological wounds of war,” Simmon writes. Huston himself called it “the most hopeful and optimistic and even joyous thing I ever had a hand in.”

One response to “Memorial Day special: Let There Be Light”

Was there reasoning behind why the US Army did not allow a documentary about PTSD syndrome? I am glad that this is being shown now but something that as hugely impact full to our Army men as PTSD should have been known as soon as possible!